Method for treating yarn

ABSTRACT

In an apparatus for drawing yarn and thereafter longitudinally compressing the yarn to crimp it specialized yarn guides are provided in order that a plurality of ends of yarn may simultaneously be processed on the apparatus to form a combined yarn constituted of the plurality of ends in which the ends are arranged relative to each other in the same order at the end of the processing as at the beginning.

United States Patent [191 Roberts [451 Apr. 23, 1974 METHOD FOR TREATING YARN [75] Inventor: John S. Roberts, Columbia, Md.

[73] Assignee: Concorde Fibers, Inc., Columbia,

[22] Filed: Aug. 23, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 173,943

[52] US. Cl. 28/72.l4

[51] Int. Cl D02g 1/12 [58] Field of Search 28/1.6, 71.3, 72.14

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,120,692 2/1964 Crawford et al 28/1.6 3,218,675 11/1965 Hendrix 28/l.6 2,455,173 11/1948 Hitt 28/7l.3 2,977,746 4/1961 Klein et al. 28/7l.3 X

3,099,064 7/1963 Haynes 28/ 1.6 3,340,585 9/1967 Buckley et al. 28/l.6 3,553,802 l/l97l Stanley 28/l.6 3,614,818 10/1971 Satterwhite.... 28/72.14 X

Primary Examiner-Louis K. Rimrodt Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Albert C. Nolte, Jr.; Edward B. Hunter; C. Bruce Hamburg [5 7] ABSTRACT In an apparatus for drawing yarn and thereafter longitudinally compressing the yarn to crimp it specialized yarn guides are provided in order that a plurality of ends of yarn may simultaneously be processed on the apparatus to form a combined yarn constituted of the plurality of ends in which the ends are arranged relative to each other in the same order at the end of the processing as at the beginning.

6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures iMEM'I'EUAPR 23 m4 SHEEI 1 OF 2 IN EYS ATTO PATEHTEDAPR 23 I974 SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTOR m P.L6 WWW T N m @w m METHOD FOR TREATING YARN This invention relates to an apparatus for processing yarn. More specifically, this invention relates to improvements in such apparatus to permit a plurality of ends to be processed simultaneously on the apparatus thereby to be formed into a combined yarn in which the position of the ends relative to each other at the end of the processing is the same as at the beginning of the processing. This invention also relates to the corresponding processing of the yarn.

Apparatuses are known in which an at least partially unoriented yarn is drawn sufficiently to become substantially fully oriented and is thereafter subjected to longitudinal compression to become crimped. Such an apparatus is described, for example, in U. S. Pat. No. 3,454,998.

Such an apparatus may be employed to process a number of ends of yarn simultaneously. If desired, the resultant yarn may thereafter be wound or otherwise processed as a single end. In some instances it may be desired that the plural ends thus to be processed and combined be of at least two different colors. For example, a heather yarn may be desired for carpeting. Though such a yarn may appear to involve a random intermingling of at least two colors, surprisingly it has been found that unless the relative positions of the ends which are combined are controlled undesirable effects may result. This may manifest itself particularly pronouncedly when the yarn is tufted to form carpeting or other pile fabric. Rather than there being obtained an even heather effect different colors may predominate in various parts of the carpet.

According to the invention, it has been found posible so to guide the plural ends of yarn in mutually parallel side by side relation through the apparatus that they maintain the same positions relative to each other throughout the processing whereupon a predetermined arrangement of the yarns is maintained and a uniform heather effect is achieved.

In the type of apparatus to which the improvements of the present invention relates, the ends of yarn are withdrawn from a source of supply, such as yarn packages on a creel, pass through a pre-tensioning zone, are drawn in a drawing zone and then are fed into means defining a zone in which the ends are longitudinally compressed thereby to become crimped. The pretensioning zone includes rolls defining at least one nip through which the ends of yarn are passed. At least one of the rolls defining the nip may be positively driven thereby to withdraw the ends from the respective packages. The roll which is not positively driven is freely rotating and is rotationally driven by frictional engagement with the yarn and/or the surface of the positively driven roll. Alternatively, no portion of the pretensioning means may be driven and the yarn may simply be pulled therethrough by drive means in the drawing portion of the apparatus. According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided means for guiding the plurality of ends into the tensioning means in mutually parallel side by side relation. Tee guiding means preferably comprises a comb having a plurality of laterally spaced elongated members, the respective ends being guided between pairs of said members.

The drawing zone to which the ends are lead after passing through the pre-tensioning zone may comprise a first roll adapted for passage of the ends therearound and a second roll adapted to receive the ends from the first roll and for passage of the ends therearound and means for driving the first and second rolls with the sec ond roll being driven at a greater peripheral speed than the first roll. To facilitate drawing. the ends preferably are heated in the drawing zone, by internal heating of the first roll, for example. The second roll may be similarly heated in order to assist the subsequent crimping step. Usually the yarn is wrapped around each of the rolls a plurality of times to minimize slippage of the yarn on the roll surfaces and to assure adequate introduction of heat from the roll surfaces into the yarn. Accordingly, there is usually provided for each of the first and second rolls in the drawing zone a respective nondriven separator roll mounted for rotation about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of the drive roll roll so that adjacent wraps of the yarn on the surface of the driven roll and the separator roll associated therewith are spaced from each other. In the present invention, the separator rolls become important even in the case of only a single wrap because means are pro vided thereon for guiding a plurality of ends of the yarn in mutually parallel side by side relation around each of the roll arrangements constituted of a drawing zone roll and a separator roll. The guide means on the separator roll comprises means defining a plurality of grooves transverse to the axis of the separator roll and each adapted to receive one of the ends. It is noted that the axis of the separator roll has been defined as being substantially parallel to the axis of the drawing zone roll with which it is associated because, as is known, it may in fact be desirable that these axes be slightly askew.

From the second driven roll the yarn is led into the nip of a pair of nip rolls at least one of which rolls is positively driven and the other of which rolls is driven by frictional engagement with the positively driven roll and/or the ends of yarn. This pair of nip rolls drives the yarn into the zone for longitudinal compression of the yarn thereby to crimp the yarn. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided means for guiding the plurality of ends into the nip in mutually parallel side by side relation. The guiding means preferably comprises means defining at least two, more preferably at least three, surfaces in successive contact with which the ends are passed, the surfaces being so positioned relative to each other that the yarn travels a zig zag path in approaching the first surface, passing between the surfaces and leaving the last surface, i.e., the yarn is deflected through a zig-zag path by the surfaces.

The invention will now further be described by reference to a specific embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a drawingcrimping appa' ratus having guide means of the invention incorporated therein;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side-elevation of the pretensioning means of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on section line 3-of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on section line 4-4 of FIG. 2:

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on section line 5--5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of the nip rolls feeding into the crimping zone of the apparatus of FIG. 1, taken partly in section to show the interior of the guide means associated with the nip rolls;

FIG. 7 is a non-sectional side elevation of the guide means of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is an elevation of the guide means of FIG. 7 taken from the left-hand side of FIG. 7.

A plurality of ends of yarn 10 (FIG. 1) are withdrawn from respective packages on a creel (not illustrated) and passed through a pre-tensioning apparatus 1 1. The pre-tensioning apparatus 11 is constituted of a freely rotating guide pulley 12, a freely rotating roll 13, a freely rotating roll 14 and a positively driven roll 15. A support 16 fixed to the frame 17 of the machine rotationally supports the shaft 15a of roll 15. The shaft 15a is connected to a motor (not illustrated) by a timing belt (not illustrated). Shaft 12a of roll 12 and shaft 13a of roll 13 are supported at opposite ends of an arm 18 pivotably connected to the support 16 by means of a pivot pin 19. Shaft 14a of the roll 14 is mounted on the free end of arm 20 the other end of which is pivotably connected to the frame 17 by means pivot pin 21. The arm 20 is biased upwards by means of a helical tension spring 22 one end of which is connected to the arm 20 and the other end of which is connected to the machine frame 17. Alternatively, upward biasing of the roll 14 may be accomplished by conventional hydraulic or pneumatic means. Mounted on the arm 18 between the rolls l2 and 13 is a yarn guide 22.

The yarn 10 passes under and in contact with the guide pulley 12, through the yarn guide 22, over and in contact with the roll 13, through the nip defined by the rolls l3 and 14, under and in contact with the roll 14, through the nip defined by the rolls l4 and 15, up and in contact with the left-hand half of the roll 15 (FIG. 2) and then onward to the drawing zone.

The pulley 12 is of conventional construction, being provided with flanges 12b and 120 (FIG. 3).

The yarn 10 is constituted of four ends, 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d (shown schematically in FIG. 4). In this particular example, the end 100 is red, the end 10b is yellow, the end 100 is brown and the end 10d is orange and each of the ends is 150/6 (150 denier, six filament). The yarn guide 22 is a comb constituted of a spine member 24 and elongated members, teeth or tines 25a, b, c, d and e. The end 10a is guided between teeth 25a and 25b, the end 10b between teeth 25b and 25c, the end lcbetween teeth 25c and 25d and the end d between teeth 25d and 25e. This establishes the arrangement in which the yarns pass through the tensioning apparatus.

From the roll the yarn 10 is passed over and in contact with internally heated driven roll 26, around non-driven separator roll 27, around roll 26, around roll 27 again, under and in contact with the roll 26 and then up to the roll 28, over and in contact with the roll 28, around the roll 29, around roll 28, around the roll 29 again, under and in contact with the roll 28 and then upwards. In other words, the yarn 10 is passed two wraps around the roll arrangement 26-27 and two wraps around the roll arrangement 28-29. The separator roll 27 has a ring 27a press fit thereon and in the circumference of which is defined four grooves for retaining and guiding the respective ends 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d in the same order in which they passed through the yarn guide 22. The separator roll 29 is provided with a like arrangement.

From the roll 28 the yarn is led to a yarn guide 30 which feeds into nip rolls 31, 32 (FIG. 1), one of which is positively driven and drives the other, whereupon the yarn is driven into a chamber 33 for longitudinal compression of the yarn, the end wall of which chamber is defined by the teeth of a toothed wheel 34 which is rotationally driven and between the teeth of which the yarn is retained and the crimp is set (FIG. 6), as is well known in this type of machine. The combined yarn 10,

now crimped, with the ends 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d in the same order as initially is tangentially withdrawn from the toothed wheel 34 by conventional means no here illustrated.

The yarn guide 30 is constituted of a front plate 34, a back plate 35, a side plate 36 and three pins 37, 38 and 39. The front plate 34 is provided with an opening 34a to facilitate threading-up. The yarn 10 is led in a zig-zag path from a surface of pin 39 to a surface of pin 38 to a surface of pin 37 and the resultant tensioning and surface contact maintains the respective ends 10a, 10b, 10c and 10b in their original arrangement.

The foregoing detailed description of the invention is for purposes of illustration rather than limitation and the scope of the invention is to be determined by reference to the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of producing from a plurality of at least partially unoriented and uncrimped ends of yarn of at least two different colors a single combined yarn in which said ends are drawn and crimped and arranged relative to each other in a predetermined relation, comprising guiding said ends in mutually parallel side by side relation in their original arrangement through tensioning means, guiding said ends in said arrangement at least once around a first roller, driving said first roller at a first rate to advance said ends, guiding said ends in said arrangement at least once around a second roller, driving the second roller at a second rate greater than the first rate to draw and thereby orient and to advance said ends, guiding said ends in said arrangement through a z shaped tensioning path in contact with surfaces at at least three discrete points to maintain said arrangement and feeding the ends in said arrangement into the nip of a pair of nip rolls associated with means defining a zone for longitudinally compressing the yarn, and driving the nip rolls thereby to advance the yarn into said zone wherein the yarn is longitudinally compressed and thereby crimped with the ends being maintained in essentially said arrangement.

2. A method of producing from a plurality of at least partially unoriented ends of yarn of at least two different colors a single combined yarn in which the ends are oriented and arranged relative to each other in a predetermined relation, comprising guiding said ends in mutually parallel side by side relation in their original arrangement at least once around a first roller, driving said first roller at a first rate to advance said ends, guiding said ends in said arrangement at least once around a second roller, and driving said second roller at a second rate greater than the first rate to draw and thereby orient said ends, leading said ends in said arrangement to the nip of a pair of nip rollers and through a tensioning element in a z-shaped tensioning path in contact with surfaces at at least three discrete points immediately ahead of said nip to maintain said arrangement.

3. A method according to claim 2, in which with each of the first and second rollers the yarn is passed around a respective separator roller and the yarn is guided in said relation as it is passed around each of the separator rollers.

4. A method according to claim 3, in which each of the separator rollers includes means defining a plurality of grooves and each of said ends is guided in a different one of said grooves.

5. A method according to claim 2, further comprising tensioning the ends prior to guiding the ends around the first roller and guiding said ends in said relation during the tensioning.

6. A method of producing from a plurality of uncrimped ends of yarn a single combined yarn in which the ends are crimped and arranged relative to each other in a predetermined relation, comprising guiding said ends through a zig-zag tensioning path in contact with surfaces at at least three discrete points and in mutually parallel side by side relation in their original arrangement into the nip of a pair of nip rolls associated with means defining a zone for longitudinally compressing the yarn and driving the nip rolls thereby to advance the yarn into said zone wherein the yarn is longitudinally compressed and thereby crimped, the nip being closely juxtaposed to the zigzag tensioning path, said guiding causing said ends to remain in essentially their original arrangement during said longitudinal compressing. 

1. A method of producing from a plurality of at least partially unoriented and uncrimped ends of yarn of at least two different colors a single combined yarn in which said ends are drawn and crimped and arranged relative to each other in a predetermined relation, comprising guiding said ends in mutually parallel side by side relation in their original arrangement through tensioning means, guiding said ends in said arrangement at least once around a first roller, driving said first roller at a first rate to advance said ends, guiding said ends in said arrangement at least once around a second roller, driving the second roller at a second rate greater than the first rate to draw and thereby orient and to advance said ends, guiding said ends in said arrangement through a z shaped tensioning path in contact with surfaces at at least three discrete points to maintain said arrangement and feeding the ends in said arrangement into the nip of a pair of nip rolls associated with means defining a zone for longitudinally compressing the yarn, and driving the nip rolls thereby to advance the yarn into said zone wherein the yarn is longitudinally compressed and thereby crimped with the ends being maintained in essentially said arrangement.
 2. A method of producing from a plurality of at least partially unoriented ends of yarn of at least two different colors a single combined yarn in which the ends are oriented and arranged relative to each other in a predetermined relation, comprising guiding said ends in mutually parallel side by side relation in their original arrangement at least once around a first roller, driving said first roller at a first rate to advance said ends, guiding said ends in said arrangement at least once around a second roller, and driving said second roller at a second rate greater than the first rate to draw and thereby orient said ends, leading said ends in said arrangement to the nip of a pair of nip rollers and through a tensioning element in a z-shaped tensioning path in contact with surfaces at at least three discrete points immediately ahead of said nip to maintain said arrangement.
 3. A method according to claim 2, in which with each of the first and second rollers the yarn is passed around a respective separator roller and the yarn is guided in said relation as it is passed around each of the separator rollers.
 4. A method according to claim 3, in which each of the separator rollers includes means defining a plurality of grooves and each of said ends is guided in a different one of said grooves.
 5. A method according to claim 2, further comprising tensioning the ends prior to guiding the ends around the first roller and guiding said ends in said relation during the tensioning.
 6. A method of producing from a plurality of uncrimped ends of yarn a single combined yarn in which the ends are crimped and arranged relative to each other in a predetermined relation, comprising guiding said ends through a zig-zag tensioning path in contact with surfaces at at least three discrete points and in mutuAlly parallel side by side relation in their original arrangement into the nip of a pair of nip rolls associated with means defining a zone for longitudinally compressing the yarn and driving the nip rolls thereby to advance the yarn into said zone wherein the yarn is longitudinally compressed and thereby crimped, the nip being closely juxtaposed to the zig-zag tensioning path, said guiding causing said ends to remain in essentially their original arrangement during said longitudinal compressing. 